Do Not Rejoice When..

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

In the wake of the incidents that happened in these last few days – concerning the Iranian President’s plane crash and Bishop Robert Géresi’s reaction to the Slovak Prime Minister’s shootings – I was asked whether Christians should rejoice when their enemies suffer misfortune. Vengeance belongs to the Lord; He may repay our enemies for their evil deeds, but our duty is to remain steadfast in love and forgiveness. According to the Bible, the appropriate response to the suffering of others, including enemies, is rooted in love, compassion, and forgiveness. Jesus explicitly teaches in the Sermon on the Mount to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44). Proverbs 24:17-18 advises, ‘Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.’

Kay Alli